“I’ve pondered retirement. I’d lie if I said I didn’t.
The truth of the matter is that I don’t know what I’m going to do . . . I’d love to come back and play the last month of the season with the
team. I just don’t know if that’s going to happen, but it would mean the
world to me to be in uniform when the season ends. Either way, I’ll be
in Oakland one way or the other, to come back and play, or to say
goodbye.”

That came in an email to the San Francisco Chronicle. Word on the street is that Chavez dislocated his index finger as he clicked “send.” He’ll have and MRI tomorrow after which time it will be determined if surgery is necessary.

On a more serious note, the fate of Eric Chavez over the past four years has to be one of the more depressing in all of baseball. A supremely talented hitter when he was healthy, the guy stands as one of the most significant “what could have been” stories in recent memory.

There was an A’s classic game on the other night, win number 19 in the A’s 2002 streak. Chavez looked lithe, athletic, quick bat. You could see why Beane chose him as the future of the franchise and gave him the 6 year deal, letting Miggy go, especially since it looked like Crosby was going to be major-league ready (he won the RoY the following year), and the questions about Miggy’s age and “supplements” had undoubtedly perked up to the GM’s office.
It didn’t work out. Even though insurance paid off a lot of the last 4 years, no question Chavez’ absence was a blow to the team.
He should retire. But how many of these guys go without a final hurrah?

Can you imagine how extraordinarily frustrating and sad it must be to have been so good at something you love, something that millions of others would kill for just to experience one time, and not be physically able to do it anymore? And at only 32 years old. I know $66 mil. cushions the blow quite a bit, but I still feel some sympathy for the guy. I know he’s always tried his hardest to come back and play, he never gave up, and I admire him for that.